News about Physician Assistant

Three students in Pennsylvania College of Technology’s physician assistant major returned recently from monthlong clinical rotations in the coastal city of Trujillo, Peru, where they were immersed in medical Spanish and worked in a variety of health care settings.

Bailey T. Bachman, of Lewistown; Megan N. Heckman, of Spring Mills; and Valerie L. Kubalak, also of Spring Mills, were the first Penn College physician assistant students to complete clinical rotations outside of the United States.

The School of Nursing & Health Sciences at Pennsylvania College of Technology held a multifaceted celebration on Oct. 4 by hosting an open house of its facilities and welcoming accomplished alumni, who reflected on how their education has shaped their careers.

“We come together … to celebrate the positive impact all 10 of our nursing and health sciences programs have on our students’ lives, the professions in which they work, and the communities they serve,” said Sandra L. Richmond, dean of nursing and health sciences.

Of particular significance during the celebration was a change to the school’s name: from the School of Health Sciences to the School of Nursing & Health Sciences, and the anniversaries of the occupational therapy assistant program, whose first students graduated 30 years ago, and the physician assistant program, which graduated its first students 20 years ago.

Joshua A. Bower has been named director of the physician assistant program at Pennsylvania College of Technology.

Bower is a certified physician assistant, licensed to practice in Pennsylvania. His primary focus is in ophthalmology. Prior to joining the Penn College staff in August, he was a physician assistant for six years at the Eye Center of Central PA.

Pennsylvania College of Technology’s 2018 surgical technology graduates passed the national Certified Surgical Technologist Examination on their first attempt with a 91.67 percent pass rate, which far exceeds the national average. The group of 12 graduated in August and took the exam the same month.

The Certified Surgical Technologist exam is conducted by the National Board of Surgical Technology and Surgical Assisting.

Forty-three students in Pennsylvania College of Technology’s physician assistant and emergency medical services/paramedic programs will be on hand to help serve the health care needs of spectators and players at the Little League Baseball World Series, Aug. 16-26.

The event draws tens of thousands of spectators over 11 days as 16 U.S. and international Little League teams vie for the championship in South Williamsport, just a short drive from the Penn College main campus.

“We are proud to have our physician assistant and paramedic students participate with interdisciplinary members of the health care team to assist with providing care to Little League players from around the world,” said Sandra L. Richmond, dean of nursing and health sciences. “This event is an excellent example of the cross-cultural service learning opportunities we provide for our students.”

Students in the physician assistant Class of 2019 celebrated a milestone in their education on July 21 with the program’s traditional “white coat ceremony.” Twenty-seven students marked the completion of three semesters of intensive classroom study that will be followed – beginning with the Fall 2018 semester – with a full year of hands-on patient care at health care sites, under the supervision of clinical preceptors. The white coat, explained the program’s medical director, Dr. Gregory R. Frailey, in welcoming remarks, holds a great deal of symbolism. He dons his white coat each workday as though putting on the armor of compassion. Other speakers included Dr. Anju Sonia Dayal, a part-time instructor of physician assistant; Larissa D. Whitney, instructor of physician assistant; Brian M. McKeon Sr., assistant professor of physician assistant; and class representatives Kelly E. Heckman, of Bellefonte, and Wayne R. Jacobs, of Jersey Shore. The class, led by Physician Assistant Club President Valerie L. Kubalak, of Spring Mills, recited the physician assistant oath, pledging to hold the health, safety, welfare and dignity of all human beings as their primary responsibility, then presented gifts to the full-time physician assistant faculty, including a gift of $1,000 to the Global Down Syndrome Foundation in honor of Carter Whitney.

The Health Sciences Living-Learning Community participated in an activity Friday at Williamsport Escapes, which offers a team-building series of brain games at 201 Basin Street. Tanae A. Traister, clinical director of nursing, and Taren A. (Adams) Long, a 2011 radiography graduate, joined four students as they solved clues that allowed them to break out of the facility’s locker-room area. The group was given 60 minutes to escape and managed to get out with two minutes and 57 seconds to spare! Penn College’s Living-Learning Communities provide themed housing arrangements for first-year residents in a variety of academic majors.Photo provided

Tia G. La, a pre-physician assistant major from Guam, has been chosen as the December/January “Student of the Month” at Pennsylvania College of Technology.

A former student photographer for Public Relations & Marketing and a Community Peer Educator with Student Affairs, she also volunteers with Big Brothers Big Sisters and has given of her time at Susquehanna Health (now UPMC Susquehanna).

“Her images are fantastic! Her incredible photographic talent has graced our college magazine, marketing publications, social media, PCToday and other media/marketing outlets,” a staff nominator wrote. “For two full years (summers included), she represented PRM at countless campus and off-campus events, positively interacting with the college family and the community.”

Pennsylvania College of Technology has much to celebrate during 2017’s National Physician Assistant Week.

An initiative of the American Academy of PAs, National PA Week takes place Oct. 6-12 each year. This week, more than 115,500 physician assistants celebrate the profession’s contributions to the nation’s health and increase public awareness of the important role PAs play in collaboration with physicians in providing patient-centered health care. Commemorating the first PA graduates from Duke University in 1967, this year also marks 50 years of the PA profession.

Students in nursing and physician assistant majors put their skills to use this week in College Health Services, where they administered flu shots to the college community. The students were overseen by instructors as they provided the vaccines.

WNEP’s Kristina Papa, among the journalists covering the Little League Baseball World Series in South Williamsport, recently talked with physician assistant majors Michelle D. Detwiler and Angela R. Vought and program director Lynn Eckrote about School of Health Sciences students’ experience during the 11-day sporting event. Detwiler, of Milton, and Vought, of Elysburg, are among nearly 50 PA and emergency medical services/paramedic technician students represented on the LLWS medical team. Papa’s report premiered during Tuesday’s 5 p.m. newscast.

A 2008 graduate of Pennsylvania College of Technology’s physician assistant major was honored with the college’s Alumni Achievement Award at Summer 2017 commencement ceremonies, held Aug. 5 at the Community Arts Center, Williamsport.

Kevin A. Hickman, of Avon, Connecticut, and a Luzerne County native, received the award in recognition of his contributions to the physician assistant field and his alma mater.

Hickman serves as director of Physician Assistant Services for Saint Francis Hospital and Medical Center, in Hartford, Connecticut. The medical center employs over 200 physician assistants and advanced practice registered nurses, and is part of Trinity Health Of New England, a regional health system serving Connecticut and western Massachusetts.

A large group of Pennsylvania College of Technology students is set to join the medical team at the 2017 Little League Baseball World Series in South Williamsport this August.

The students are pursuing careers as physician assistants and paramedics. During the 11-day tournament, they will serve both participants and spectators of the series, which draws 16 teams from around the world, and tens of thousands of fans each day.

“Our paramedic and physician assistant programs deeply appreciate the clinical practice our students gain from such an exciting annual international event as the Little League World Series just across the river from campus,” said Edward A. Henninger, dean of health sciences.

Nearly 250 students have petitioned to graduate in Pennsylvania College of Technology’s Summer 2017 Commencement ceremony, scheduled for Saturday, Aug. 5, at the Community Arts Center.

The student speaker for the ceremony, which begins at 11 a.m., is Michael Raymond Harer, of Williamsport, who will be awarded an Associate of Applied Science in surgical technology. He will be presented with the Surgical Technology Outstanding Academic Achievement Award before commencement. Harer will be employed as a surgical technologist with UPMC Susquehanna following graduation.